Expandable bag with folding struts

ABSTRACT

An expandable bag has a base portion and an expandable portion. The expandable portion is connected to the base portion by flexible connection sidewalls. The base portion and the expandable portion are connected to one another by a plurality of folding struts which allow the expandable portion to be alternatively moved between an expanded position and a non-expanded position. The bag further also has a retaining mechanism for retaining the bag in the non-expanded position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to carrying bags such as suitcases and the like, and, more specifically, to carrying bags having expansion capability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Carrying bags, such as suitcases and other forms of luggage bags, have been known for a very long time. Recently, a new form of carrying bag, one having the ability to alternatively expand and contract in volume, has become quite popular. Unfortunately, none of the presently known methods of providing an expandable bag are wholly satisfactory. Either they are unduly expensive, unduly complicated or time-consuming to operate or they provide insufficient structural rigidity.

[0003] Accordingly, there is a need for an expandable bag which avoids the aforementioned problems in the prior art.

SUMMARY

[0004] The invention satisfies this need. The invention is an expandable bag comprising (a) a base portion having a bottom wall and one or more base portion side walls, each of the one or more base portion side walls being attached to the bottom wall, (b) an expandable portion having a top wall and one or more expandable portion side walls being attached to the top wall, and (c) the expandable portion being connected to the base portion by one or more flexible connection side walls, the base portion, the expandable portion and the one or more connection side walls cooperating to form an encloseable bag compartment; In the invention, the base portion side walls and the expandable portion side walls are attached to one another by a plurality of folding struts such that the expandable portion is alternatively movable with respect to the base portion between a non-expanded position wherein the expandable portion is rigidly retained proximate to the base portion and an expanded position wherein the expandable portion is rigidly retained distal to the base portion. A retaining mechanism is provided for retaining the expandable portion in the non-expanded position and releasing the expandable portion so that it can be moved to the expanded position.

DRAWINGS

[0005] These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures where:

[0006]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an expandable bag having features of the invention;

[0007]FIG. 2 is a second isometric view of the expandable bag illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0008]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the expandable bag illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the use of folding struts to expand the bag to a fully expanded position;

[0009]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the expandable bag illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the folding of the folding struts;

[0010]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the expandable bag illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the interior of the bag with the folding struts covered by removable pockets; and

[0011]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the expandable bag illustrated in FIG. 1 in partial cross-section to illustrate interior features of the bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.

[0013] The invention is an expandable bag 10 comprising a base portion 12 and an expandable portion 14.

[0014] The base portion 12 comprises a bottom wall 16 and one or more base portion sidewalls 18. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the base portion 12 has four rectangular base portion sidewalls 18, each disposed perpendicular to the bottom wall 16. The four base portion sidewalls 18 cooperate to form a base portion compartment 20 having a rectangular cross-section.

[0015] Each of the one or more base portion sidewalls 18 has a base portion frame 22. In a typical embodiment, the base portion frame 22 of each of the four base portion sidewalls 18 are attached to one another to form a rectangular band which circumscribes the base portion compartment 20. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, each of the base portion frames 22 is covered on both sides of the frame by sturdy fabric material 24. In a typical embodiment, the material 24 covering the exterior portion of the base portion frame 22 is a strong, lightweight woven material, such as nylon, polyester, vinyl, other plastic materials and leather.

[0016] In other embodiments of the invention, the base portion side walls 18 can be made from a rigid material, such as from a metal, rigid plastic or stiff leather.

[0017] In a typical embodiment, such as in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the bottom wall 16 is provided by a flexible material. In other embodiments, the bottom wall 16 can be made from a rigid material or from a composite of rigid and/or flexible materials.

[0018] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the base portion 12 further comprises a rear frame 26. The rear frame 26 comprises a collapsible pulling handle 28. The rear frame 26 also comprises a pair of wheels 30 disposed at the bottom of the rear frame 26 for allowing the bag 10 to be easily translated across a smooth surface.

[0019] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the base portion 12 further comprises a pair of lifting handles 32 to allow the user to lift the bag 10, either from the top 34 of the bag 10 or from one of the sides 36 of the bag 10.

[0020] The expandable portion 14 is disposed proximate to the base portion 12 to form an encloseable bag compartment 38. The expandable portion 14 comprises a top wall 40 and one or more expandable portion sidewalls 42. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the expandable portion 14 has four rectangular expandable portion sidewalls 42, each disposed perpendicular to the top wall 40. The four expandable portion sidewalls 42 cooperate to form an expandable portion compartment 44 having a rectangular cross-section.

[0021] Each of the one or more expandable portion sidewalls 42 has an expandable portion frame 46. In a typical embodiment, the expandable portion frames 46 of each of the four expandable portion sidewalls 42 are attached to one another to form a rectangular band which circumscribes the expandable portion compartment 44. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, each of the expandable portion frames 46 is covered on both sides of the frame by sturdy fabric material 48. In a typical embodiment, the material 48 covering the exterior portion of the expandable portion frame 46 is a strong, lightweight woven material, such as nylon, polyester, vinyl, other plastic material or leather.

[0022] In other embodiments of the invention, the expandable portion side walls 42 can be made from a rigid material, such as from a metal, rigid plastic or stiff leather.

[0023] In a typical embodiment of the invention, such as in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the top wall 40 is provided by a flexible material. In other embodiments, the top wall 40 can be made from a rigid material or from a composite of rigid and/or flexible materials.

[0024] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the top wall 40 is connected in part to the expandable portion sidewalls 42 by a top wall zipper 50 which circumscribes three of the expandable portion sidewalls 42 to provide an access opening to allow the user access to the encloseable bag compartment 38.

[0025] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the expandable portion 14 further comprises three top wall exterior pockets 54 to allow the user to conveniently store items on the exterior of the bag 10.

[0026] The expandable portion 14 is connected to the base portion 12 by one or more flexible connection sidewalls 56. In a typical embodiment, the flexible connection sidewalls 56 are made from a lightweight material, such as nylon, polyester, vinyl, other plastic materials or leather.

[0027] The base portion 12, the expandable portion 14 and the flexible connection sidewalls 56 cooperate to form the enclosed bag compartment 38.

[0028] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base portion side walls 18 and the expandable portion side walls 42 are attached to one another by a plurality of folding struts 58. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, each of the folding struts 58 is of the type commonly used for bracing the legs of a folding card table. In this type of folding strut 58, each strut 58 comprises a pair of rigid members 60 pivotally connected to one another by an axis pin 62. The ends of the two rigid members 60 are adapted to cooperate with one another when the rigid members 60 are disposed coaxially to resist pivoting about the central axis pin 62. That is to say, the two rigid members 60 “snap” into coaxial relationship and “snap” out of coaxial relationship by a small amount of required force, such as by the pushing force provided by the finger of a user. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the rigid members 60 are caused to snap into coaxial relationship by pressing upon one or both of the rigid members 60 at a location proximate to the central axis pin 62. A folding preventor 64 is preferably affixed to one of the rigid members 60 to allow the pair of rigid members 60 to snap into coaxial relationship from only one direction and to allow the pair of rigid members 60 to snap out of coaxial relationship in only the opposition direction.

[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of folding struts 58 is appended to one side of the expandable bag compartment 52. In this embodiment, an opposed second pair of folding struts 58 (not shown) is disposed on the opposite side of the encloseable bag compartment 52. In FIG. 3, the two rigid members 60 of each foldable strut 58 are disposed in the coaxial position. In FIG. 4, the two rigid members 60 of each foldable strut 58 are disposed in a partially folded position.

[0030] The base portion side walls 18 and the expandable portion side walls 46 are attached to one another by the plurality of folding struts 58 such that the expandable portion 14 is alternatively moveable with respect to the base portion 12 between a non-expanded position wherein the expandable portion 14 is retained proximate to the base portion 12 (as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4) and an expanded position wherein the expandable portion 14 is rigidly retained distal to the base portion 12 (as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0031] A retaining mechanism 66 is provided for alternatively retaining the expandable portion 14 in the non-expanded position and releasing the expandable portion 14 so that it can be moved to the expanded position. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the retaining mechanism 66 is provided by a retaining mechanism zipper 68 which circumscribes the encloseable bag compartment 38. As can be seen from FIG. 1, when the retaining mechanism zipper 68 is closed, the expandable portion 14 is rigidly retained in the non-expanded position. As can be seen in FIG. 2, when the retaining mechanism zipper 68 is opened, the expandable portion 14 is released to allow it to move to the expanded position.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the folding struts 58 can be aesthetically hidden by a pair of oppositely disposed removable pockets 70. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, each removable pocket 70 is attached to the interior perimeter 72 of the base portion compartment 20 along an upper edge of each removable pocket 70. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, each removable pocket 70 can be conveniently attached to the interior perimeter 72 of the base portion compartment 20 by hook and loop fasteners 74.

[0033] As also illustrated in FIG. 5, the pair of removable pockets 70 can be used to provide a smooth, snag-free and attractive bag compartment 38.

[0034] In operation, the expandable bag 10 of the invention, initially disposed in a non-expanded configuration (such as illustrated in FIG. 1), can be transformed into an expanded configuration (as illustrated in FIG. 2) by unzipping the retaining mechanism zipper 68 and moving the expandable portion 14 from the non-expanded position to the expanded position (as illustrated in FIG. 3). In the expanded position, the two rigid members 60 of each folding strut 58 are snapped into coaxial relationship (as illustrated in FIG. 3). After the rigidly members 60 are so snapped into coaxial relationship, the expandable position 14 is rigidly retained in the expanded position.

[0035] When the user wishes to return the bag 10 to the non-expanded configuration, the user merely folds each of the folding struts 54 by applying finger pressure to one of the sides of one of the rigid members 60 in each of the folding struts 58 so as to partially fold each of the folding struts 58 (as illustrated in FIG. 4). Once each of the folding struts 58 is placed into a partially folded position (as illustrated in FIG. 4), the expandable portion 14 can be easily moved to the non-expanded position. In the non-expanded position, the expandable portion 14 can be firmly retained to the base portion 12 by re-zipping the retaining mechanism zipper 68.

[0036] Thus, the invention provides a very effective expandable bag which is easy and inexpensive to make and which is easy and uncomplicated to use.

[0037] Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims. 

What is Claimed is:
 1. An expandable bag comprising: (a) a base portion having a bottom wall and one or more base portion side walls, each of the one or more base portion side walls being attached to the bottom wall; (b) an expandable portion having a top wall and one or more expandable portion side walls being attached to the top wall; and (c) the expandable portion being connected to the base portion by one or more flexible connection side walls, the base portion, the expandable portion and the one or more connection side walls cooperating to form an encloseable bag compartment; wherein, the base portion side walls and the expandable portion side walls are attached to one another by a plurality of folding struts such that the expandable portion is alternatively movable with respect to the base portion between a non-expanded position wherein the expandable portion is rigidly retained proximate to the base portion and an expanded position wherein the expandable portion is rigidly retained distal to the base portion; and wherein the bag further comprises a retaining mechanism for alternatively retaining the expandable portion in the non-expanded position and releasing the expandable portion so that it can be moved to the expanded position.
 2. The expandable bag of claim 1 wherein the plurality of folding struts consists of four folding struts.
 3. The expandable bag of claim 1 wherein the base portion has an interior perimeter and wherein the bag further comprises at least one removable pocket, the at least one removable pocket having an upper edge which is removably attachable to the interior perimeter of the base portion, such that, when the upper edge of the removable pocket is attached to the interior perimeter of the base portion, the removable pocket drapes downwardly to hide at least one of the folding struts.
 4. The expandable bag of claim 3 wherein the bag comprises a plurality of removable pockets capable of hiding some or all of the folding struts.
 5. The expandable bag of claim 3 wherein the at least one removable pocket is attached to the interior perimeter of the base portion by hook and loop fasteners.
 6. The expandable bag of claim 1 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a retaining mechanism zipper having opposed sides, a first side connected to the base portion and a second side connection to the expandable portion. 